Airship



Aug.. 9, 1938.

A. GOETZ AIRSHIP Filed Aug. 25, 1955 Patented Aug.9,193s' 2,126,188

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE AIRSHIP Adolf Goetz, Hamburg, Germany Application August 23, 1935, Serial No. 37,573 In Germany September 10, 1934 8 Claims. (Cl. 244-30) This invention of improvements in airships has vided with stabilizing surfaces which extend for its object to construct an aircraft of great along both sides of its body. These stabilizing stability, increased load carrying capacity, and surfaces, however, constitute a longitudinal bracenhanced cruising characteristics. ing system which extends through the body of 5 It is generally recognized Athat safety in airv the airship and at its outer parts supports cabins 5 craft traflic is dependent in large measure upon or has the same otherwise incorporated in it. the skill lof the pilots. Thus, with an airship, The communication passages within the body of the circumstances are otherwise than with a the airship may also be embodied in this sys- Water-craft because the latter is already assured tem. The upper part of the airship, or its cov- `a suiiicient degree of safety by its highly develering, in which is secured the lower part of the 10 oped technical apparatus. airship, commencing from the inside surface of Now the problem of stabilizing an airship so the longitudinal bracing system, extends from as to conform to changing wind-conditions has one outer edge to the other of the said system, hitherto not been satisfactorily solved by techso that the lowerV part of the airship, so to speak,

l nical apparatus. This is obvious from the inprojects into the upper part of the airship, leav- 15 vestigations of the numerous accidents. Also ing a horizontal section on each of the two attempts` `to obtainjincreased carrying capacity sides.

without very substantial increase of volume have Both parts of the airship preferably have a heretofore been unsuccessful. stream-line shape and the proportions of the l This position having been recognized, atcross-sections may then be so selected that the 20 tempts were made to improve the stabilization by minor radius of the semi-ellipse which can be providingwings on each side of the body of the inscribed in the cross-section of the upper part airship or by going over completely to a wide of the airship is exactly, or at least in the iiattened body `which was then provided with main, equal to the radius of the semi-circle widely projecting lateral cantilevers, in one or which can be inscribed in the cross-section of the 25 more steps, extending substantially the Whole lower part of the airship, that is, in other words, length of the airship. In other cases, the cylinthe upper part and the lower part of the airship drical shape of the airship, was still retained together are substantially as deep as the lower but air-channels were then provided instead of part is wide at the same plane of section. In

`lateralcantilevers and these channels were either this fashion, therefore, the cylindrical form of 3) `disposed Within the sides of the body of the airairship is basically retained.

ship or below it, in the latter case also sometimes In carrying the invention into effect, the outer in a multi-step arrangement. boundary-line of the upper part of the airship is All `these systems which were intended to immade to follow, exactly or in the main, the course r Aprove simple cylindrical airships, say of the of the semi-ellipse which can be inscribed in the 33 Zeppelin type, have,.however, led to no practicross-section, for the given dimensions, and the cal result. Thus, for example, simple wings have outer boundary-surface of the lower part of the given rise to eddy-effects.I In 4theftypes with airairship in the same fashion the course of the channels or lateral cantilevers, on'the other hand, semi-circle which can be inscribed in the cross- 40..the propelling engines havebeen disposed under section of the said lower part under the same 40 the said` cantileversor in 'the more or less enconditions. Furthermore, the transverse bracing closed channels, so that the air-resistance, alsystem, of Which the cross-section appears exready increased ,precisely by. the modifications ternally as horizontal surfaces, may rise in per se adopted,` was still; furtherY increased by eddyknown manner towards the bows of the airship 15,effects without any practical advantage having in order to ensure that the relative wind 'of 45 arisen therefrom in respect of carrying capacity, travel flows away Well under these surfaces and vmaneuverability or the like; i y to counteract any nose-heaviness.

The problem of `.producing aihigh-speed air- An airship with the characteristics so far deship which is materially protected against sudscribed has the advantage that it rests in the air den air-currents-and is at the same time a conwith wide horizontal surfaceson account of the 50 "siderable improvement upon the' known systems cross-section selected but, nevertheless, does not in respect of carrying capacity has, rather, only need to diverge materially from the drop formabeen solved bythe present invention. tion. Consequently, it combines in itself the 'Ihe airship` of this present invention is based aforesaid two advantages, the increased loading uponknownarrangements in so far as it is prosuch as arises, for example, from the provision 55 of the cabins and increased useful load being made possible by the utilization of space above the longitudinal bracing system in the upper part of the airship.

A further improvement may be effected by constructing the longitudinal bracing system, thus representing stabilizing surfaces, on both sides and as seen in cross-section in such fashion that a downwardly open wind-channel is produced at the same time, which channel extends substantially the full length of the airship. These wind-channels are preferably enclosed on three sides of their cross-section in order to conduct the air streams, flowing freely during flight, without turbulence to the outflow-end at the rear of the airship. The advantage of this arrangement in combination with the main cross- .section constituted according to the invention resides in the fact that gusts incident vertically and horizontally are rendered ineffective by the movement of the air streams in the channels due to the suction exerted thereon and to the attendant changeof direction of the incident wind, so that such gusts cannot therefore endanger il the airship.

In order, now, that winds not incident in the direction of travel shall be conducted as satisfactorily as possible into the wind-channels, additional wind-guiding surfaces are provided leading from the underside of the upper part of the airship towards the adjacent free edges of the respective channels; the width of the wind channels may then be restricted to a fraction of the total width of the stabilizing surfaces. The Wind channels preferably remain rectangular in crosssection. The wind-guiding surfaces "may be made with a cross-section in the form ofI a flat roman S, the centre line of which points ap'- proximately towards the keel of the airship and which joins the upper covering of the airship approximately at right angles and which also runs in similar fashion into the lowerwall of the air channel.

YetV a further characteristicl consists in the lower body of the airship, as seen in cross-section, having bulges on each side which may extend the length of the body of the airship. rI'hese facilitate the entry of lateral winds'into the windchannels and moreover, offer the necessary conditions for providing the airship with a capacity for floating on water. the bulges need extend only over a part of the under surface of the airship.

Further advantages and features of the invention will appear from the following description, having reference to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates suitable examples, inY

The airship consists of a lower' part I of 'semicircular cross-section which is incorporated in or combined with an upper part 2 of semi-elliptical cross section, a longitudinal bracing system I2, I3, I6 (cf. Figure 4) being interposed. nAs seen in the longitudinal direction, both parts ex- For the latter purpose,A

hibit stream-line formation. 'I'he longitudinal bracing system I2, I3, I6 appears upon both sides of the airship as stabilizing surfaces 3. These stabilizing surfaces,rtowards a constriction 4, at the rear of the airship, flare like ns, preferably to at least the total width of the airship. The horizontally located control surfaces 5 are then disposed in the usual manner at the rear end of the stabilizing surfaces. In addition, vertical fins 6 are provided which likewise carry vertical control surfaces 'I of the usual type.

lThe lateral stabilizing surfaces 3, above the upper outer edges 8 of which the upper covering 9 of the airship rises elliptically, form windchannels running along the lower part I of the airship and flared in funnel-like fashion in the direction of travel due not only to the rising of the stabilizing surfaces of the front end but also to the adaptation of the front part of the airship to the inner walls of the channels. In this manner, inlets I I for the relative wind of travel are formed. At the rear end and on the underside of the fin-like flare, say at II1, the channels Ill form a gradually Widening outlet. The windchannels I have a substantially rectangular cross-section and the lower edge of the outer wall of each is connected by an S-shaped sweep to the lower edges 81 of the upper part of the airship or of the longitudinal bracing system, windguiding surfaces I4 being formed which point from the edge to the keel of the airship. The space I formed as a consequence between these air-guiding surfaces I4 and the lower edge of the stabilizing surfaces 3 can be used for the storage of fuel or the like.

The cooling of the bottom of the wind-channels I0 by the streams set up during travel may be utilized in compressing or contracting the volume of gases. For example, individual storage ballonette-spaces specially exposed to the cooling may be accommodated not only at the front but also at the middle and rear and into these'the gas discharged owing to excess pressure or takeoff maneuvers may be conducted. On account` of the compression or contraction which'is thus produced, the same gas can be used again without loss for the refilling of main ballonettes.

By reason of the arrangement of the longitudinal bracing system, there is obtained for the first time with cylindrical airships the possibility of disposing the cabins laterally with an extraordinary saving of space. These cabins are located at I2 always in the outer part of the longitudinal bracing system. As a result of the better utilization of the lifting forces resulting from the wind-flow, it is furthermore possible to use the front of the airship for the accommodation of an engine room and for further very openly located cabins 29 for observation and airshipcontrol purposes. Opposite the rows of cabins I2 are passages I3 which, by way of a gang-way, connect up all the rooms of the airship. This gang-Way is accessible from underneath the air- I ship by a shaft which is provided, if' desired, 'with pension of engine-gondolas on cylindrical airships. Guide-ribs 22, 23 are provided for the better guidance of the relative wind of travel thrown back from the propellers of the engines I9 and 2|).

The additional loading of the airship is counterbalanced by ballonettes 24 and 25 which are accommodated in the framed-structure 26 formed between the covering 9 of the upper part of the airship and that of the lower part thereof.

Figure 4a. illustrates an airship of which the lower part has lateral bulges 21 on both sides which cause the lower surface of the airship to be flattened. Since the lower surface is approximately at, it becomes possible to alight upon water provided that the lower surface is appropriately prepared.

I claim:-

1. Airship of the lighter than air type comprising ya streamlined upper part of substantially semi-elliptical cross section, a streamlined lower part of substantially semi-circular cross section, the upper part overhanging the lower part, a longitudinal bracing system occupying the overhanging parts and extending through the body of the airship, said bracing system presenting longitudinal inverted wind channels adjacent to the sides of the lower part of the ship and lateral wind guiding surfaces extending between the longitudinal outer edges of the upper portion and the adjacent edges of said channels.

2. Airship of the lighter than air type in accordance with claim 1 and having the lateral wind guiding surfaces, constructed of ilat S-section, the central part of this section being directed substantially toward the keel and being Yjoined by one bend to the covering of the upper body portion and the other bend joining the said central part with fin-like formation extending longitudinally along the respective wind channel.

3. Airship of the lighter than air type in accordance with claim 1 and having its wind channels of substantially rectangular cross section.

4. Airship of the lighter than air type in accordance with claim 1 and having its lower portion on both sides laterally bulged so as to form generally vertical side walls adapted for deflecting sidewyvind into the longitudinally extending channels, and a generally horizontal lower surface.

5. Airship of the lighter than air type comprising a streamlined hollow upper part of substantially semi-elliptical cross section, a streamlined hollow lower part of substantially semi-circular cross section, the upper part overhanging the lower part, a longitudinal bracing system occupying the overhanging parts and extending through the body of the airship, said bracing system presenting longitudinal inverted wind channels eX- tending along the body of the lateral spaces formed by the overhanging of the top, and outwardly ared surfaces at the front end of the channels adapted for promoting entry of the wind into said channels, the overhanging upper part of the airship merging into the usual lateral fin-like stabilizing surfaces at the rear of the ship to at least the total width of the body of the ship, said wind channels at this portion of the ship ilaring and lnally disappearing adjacent said surfaces.

6. Airship of the lighter than air type comprising a streamlined upper part of substantially semi-elliptical cross section, a streamlined lower part of substantially semi-circular cross section, the upper part overhanging the lower part, a longitudinal bracing system occupying the overhanging parts and extending through the body of the airship, and inverted wind channels of substantially rectangular cross section and extending longitudinally in the lateral spaces formed by the overhanging parts.

'7. Airship of the lighter than air type comprising a streamlined upperv part of substantially semi-elliptical cross section, a streamlined lower part somewhat narrower than said upper part and .depending therefrom, the upper part overhanging the lower part, a longitudinal bracing system occupying the overhanging parts and eX- tending through the body of the airship, and inverted wind channels extending longitudinally in the lateral spaces formed by the overhanging parts, said lower portion on both sides being laterally bulged so as to form substantially vertical side walls adapted for deecting side wind into the longitudinally extending channels, and having a generally horizontal lower surface.

8. Airship of the lighter than air type, comprising an elongated streamlined upper part of substantially semi-elliptical transverse cross section, an elongated streamlined lower part of substantially semi-circular transverse cross section, the lower portion of said upper part being wider than said lower part so as to overhang the latter at both sides of the craft and for yapproximately the entire length thereof, a horizontal wall structure connecting the lower portion of the upper part and the upper portion of the lower part on each side of the ship, a substantially vertical downward extension along the margins of said upper part disposed outwardly of and substantially parallel to the walls of the upper portion of the lower part, whereby an elongated longitudinally extending, downwardly opening wind channel is formed `on each side of the airship, each of said channels being enclosed on three sides by the wall of the upper portion of the lower part, said horizontal wall, and said downward extensions of the upper part respectively.

ADOLF GOETZ. 

